GB2329114A

GB2329114A - Child seat anchorage

Info

Publication number: GB2329114A
Application number: GB9719280A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Gregor; Tim Scott
Original assignee: Ford Motor Co
Current assignee: Ford Motor Co
Priority date: 1997-09-11
Filing date: 1997-09-11
Publication date: 1999-03-17
Also published as: DE69828728D1; GB9719280D0; EP0901935A2; EP0901935A3; EP0901935B1; US5941601A

Abstract

A device for anchoring a child seat 2 to a vehicle seat having a squab 4 and a backrest 6, comprises an anchorage member 10 pivotally connected to a bracket means (20, Fig. 3) mounted under the vehicle seat, wherein anchorage member 10 is pivotable between an operative position in which it is upwardly disposed through a gap between squab 4 and backrest 6 to enable seat 2 to be secured thereto, and a stowage position in which member 10 is located behind or beneath squab 4. A detent (22, Fig. 3) may be provided on member 10 to resist movement away from the operative position. Typically, a guard plate 12 is disposed between member 10 when in the operative position and backrest 6 and may further comprise a finger hole 14 to facilitate lifting of member 10 from the stowage position. An assembly incorporating two such devices is also disclosed, wherein anchorage members 10 may be constrained to pivot in opposite directions when moving between operative and stowage positions.

Description

1 CHILD SEAT ANCHORAGE 2329114 The present invention relates to a device

for anchoring a child seat in a motor vehicle.

Some vehicle child seats are secured in the vehicle seat by a pair of clips or latches on the child seat which are releasably mounted on a pair of rigid anchorage points in the vehicle. Such rigid anchorage points are specified, for example, in Isofix standard documentation. The anchorage points are located in the seat bight between the squab and the seat-back.

i5 The provision of rigid anchorage points makes folding of the seat difficult, because the anchorages prevent the seat-back from being fully lowered. The anchorage points may also be uncomfortable for a passenger sitting in the seat when the child seat is not mounted on the seat.

A further problem with the above arrangement is that the clips on the child seat are liable to damage the fabric of the seat-back.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a child seat anchorage device which reduces at least one of the above problems.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided a device for anchoring a child seat on a vehicle seat comprising a squab and a seat-back, the device comprising an anchorage member and bracket means for mounting the anchorage member in relation to a vehicle seat, the anchorage member being pivotally mounted to the bracket means so that when the bracket is mounted under a vehicle seat the anchorage member can be pivoted between a use position in which it is upwardly disposed through a gap between the squab and the seat-back so that a clip of a child seat can be secured to it, and a stowage position in which the anchorage member is disposed behind or beneath the squab.

Because the anchorage member is pivotable, it can be stowed away behind the squab of the vehicle seat when not required. The seat-back can be tilted fully forward when the anchorage member is in the stowage position, and passengers not requiring a child seat are not discomforted by an upwardly projecting anchorage member.

Although the anchorage members may be supplied and fitted individually, it is preferred that the device comprise a pair of anchorage members and bracket members which are rigidly connected together. The invention therefore also provides an assembly comprising two devices as set forth above, which are rigidly connected. Any suitable connection means may be used, for example a rigid bar or a pair of bars which are telescopically adjustable so that the distance between the anchorage members can be varied by the user to accommodate different designs of child seat. Where the distance between mounting clips on child seats is standardised, a rigid connecting bar would normally be appropriate, and the invention will be described hereinafter with reference to this embodiment. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this embodiment.

It is preferred that the anchorage members are constrained to pivot in opposite directions to one another when moving from the use position to the stowage position and vice versa (ie, both inwardly pivoting or both outwardly pivoting) This arrangement ensures that at least one anchorage member will resist any sideways load applied to the child seat in the event of a side impact.

3 Each anchorage member may be provided with a detent so that it resists being pivoted from the use position.

Suitable detent mechanisms will be well known to those skilled in the art.

The anchorage member can be of any shape providing it can receive and secure the clip of a child seat and can be pivoted between the squab and seat-back of a vehicle seat. The anchorage member may, for example, comprise a rod, bar or bolt, or a loop or ring to which the clip may be releasably secured. The anchorage member is preferably formed from a metal, for example steel, but other structural materials could also be used.

A link may be provided which automatically retracts the anchorage members when the seat-back is folded. This link may be a continuous mechanical link or a trigger mechanism which activates retraction of the anchorage members under a spring bias associated with each anchorage member.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the anchorage device is provided with a guard plate which is disposed between the seat-back and the anchorage member when the anchorage member is in the use position. The guard plate protects the seat-back from the clip or latches an the child seat. The guard plate may be formed from any suitable material, but it is preferably formed from a tough plastics material.

The guard plate may be provided with a finger hole to facilitate lifting of the anchorage member out from behind or below the squab of the vehicle seat.

The guard plate may be arranged to move the seat's seatbelt webbing to one side when the device is installed to 4 - ensure that the webbing is not contacted by the child seat latch during seat installation.

The child seat anchorage device may be sold separately, for installation in an existing vehicle, but it is envisaged that vehicles may be manufactured with child seat anchorage devices installed by the manufacturer. Accordingly, another aspect of the invention provides a motor vehicle which includes at least one passenger seat comprising a squab and a seat-back, at least one seat being provided with a device for anchoring a child seat, the device comprising an anchorage member which is pivotally mounted in relation to the seat whereby the anchorage member can be pivoted between a use position in which it is upwardly disposed through a gap between the squab and the seat-back so that a clip of a child seat can be secured to it, and a stowage position in which the anchorage member is disposed behind or beneath the squab.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a child seat mounted on a vehicle seat provided with an anchoring device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is an exploded isometric view of part of a child seat anchoring device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is an isometric view of an assembly for anchoring a child seat, in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the assembly shown in Figure 3.

A child seat 2 is provided with a pair of jaws 8 for securing to anchorage members 10 in a vehicle seat, by means of a known latch or clip mechanism (not shown).

The anchorage members 10 of the present invention are shown in Figure 1 in an upright use position, disposed in the seat bight between the squab 4 and seat-back 6 of the vehicle seat. To secure the child seat 2, it is pushed back in the vehicle seat until the latch or clip mechanisms io engage with the corresponding anchorage members.

A guard plate 12, formed from a 1 mm thick sheet of plastics material, is disposed between the anchorage member 10 and the seat-back 6. The guard plate 10 protects the seat-back from the latch or clip mechanism, or the jaws 8, of the child seat 2. The guard plate 12 is provided with a finger hole 14 to facilitate lifting of the anchorage member 10 from a stowage position to the use position shown in Figure 1. The guard plate 12 follows the contour of the seat-back 6.

Referring now to Figure 2, the child seat anchorage device comprises the anchorage member 10, which is formed from a 6 mm diameter steel rod, a mounting bracket 20, and the guard plate 12. These components are assembled on a pivot pin 16, with the upper portion of the guard plate 12 being disposed through the loop of the anchorage member 10 as shown by the arrow. A pair of resilient tabs 26 on the guard plate 12 secure the guard plate about the anchorage 3 0 member 10. The bracket 20 is secured to the floor of the vehicle, underneath the squab, by means of a bolt 24.

The assembled device is shown in Figure 3. A pair of brackets 20 are connected together by means of a rigid metal tie bar 18. For the purpose of illustration, one device of the assembly is shown, the other device being a mirror image. Each anchorage member 10 can be pivoted away from 6 the middle of the bar 18 to the use position shown in Figure 4, and towards the middle of the bar 18 to the stowage position shown in broken lines in Figure 4. In the stowage position the anchorage members 10 are disposed in the seat bight behind the squab 4.

An end stop 22 on the bracket prevents pivoting of the anchorage member 10 beyond the use position, so that if the seat is subjected to a sideways load, one of the assemblies will resist pivotal movement'under the load. The tendency to resist pivotal movement away from the use position may optionally be increased by the use of a detent mechanism between the anchorage member and the bracket.

- 7

Claims

I. A device for anchoring a child seat on a vehicle seat comprising a squab and a seat-back, the device comprising an anchorage member and bracket means for mounting the anchorage member in relation to a vehicle seat, the anchorage member being pivotally mounted to the bracket means so that when the bracket is mounted under a vehicle seat the anchorage member can be pivoted between a use position in which it is upwardly disposed through a gap between the squab and the seat-back so that a clip of a child seat can be secured to it, and a stowage position in which the anchorage member is disposed behind or beneath the squab.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the anchorage member is provided with a detent so that it resists being pivoted from the use position.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further including a guard plate which is disposed between the seat back and the anchorage member when the anchorage member is in the use position.
4. A device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guard plate is provided with a finger hole to facilitate lifting of the anchorage member from the stowage position.
5. A device as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the guard plate is arranged to move a seat's seatbelt webbing to one side when the device is installed in a vehicle.
6. An assembly for anchoring a child seat in a vehicle, comprising two devices as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, spaced apart from each other by rigid connecting means.
7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein the anchorage members are constrained to pivot in opposite directions to one another when moving from the use position to the stowage position or vice versa.
8. A motor vehicle which includes at least one passenger seat comprising a squab and a seat-back, at least one seat being provided with a device for anchoring a child seat, the device comprising an anchorage member which is pivotally mounted in relation to the seat, whereby the anchorage member can be pivoted between a use position which it is upwardly disposed through a gap between the squab and the seat-back so that a clip or latch of a child seat can be secured to it, and a stowage position in which the anchorage member is disposed behind or beneath the squab.

is in
9. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 8, wherein the at least one seat is provided with a second device of similar construction and arrangement to the first device, and spaced apart from the first device so that when the anchorage members of the devices are in the use position they are both upwardly disposed through a gap between the squab and the seat-back so that a clip or latch of a child seat can be anchored to each anchorage member.
10. A motor vehicle as claimed in claim 9, wherein the anchorage members are constrained to pivot in opposite directions to one another when moving from the use position to the stowage position and vice versa.
11. A device or assembly for anchoring a child seat on a vehicle seat, substantially as herein described with reference to the drawing.
12. A motor vehicle which includes at least one passenger seat comprising a squab and a seat-back, at least one seat being provided with a device for anchoring a child seat, substantially as herein described with reference to 5 the drawing